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Barely there and pared down have been popular themes in makeup and skin care for a while now (morning shed trend aside). Yet, when it comes to manicures, the au naturale aesthetic is just beginning to take off. Nude nails, for instance, have swapped washed-out polish colors for nail concealers to create a more natural look. Even more compelling is TikTok’s latest manicure trend aptly named hyper-realistic nails.
This isn’t just grooming your nails and painting them with a nourishing top coat. Instead, the trend involves several steps and, often, nail extensions to replicate the appearance of a real, unenhanced natural nail. “The focus here is on making your nails look as natural as possible, even when they’ve been extended,” says Mazz Hanna, CEO of Nailing Hollywood. Ironic? Maybe. But that doesn’t denounce the fact that hyper-realistic nails may be here to stay. Below, we spoke to two nail experts to learn everything about the trend.
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What are hyper-realistic nails?
“Hyper-realistic nails are like natural nails 2.0,” says Sigourney Nuñez, nail artist and Sally Hansen Global Partner. For most people, long, natural nails are hard to come by, but this manicure trend allows anyone to achieve the look of flawless, healthy nails. Hanna notes that, given the popularity of natural beauty looks, the hyper-realistic trend is right on time. “The look is flawless but still has a natural ease to it,” she says.
Both pros explain that the hyperreal nails are a result of a lot of time and effort. “There is also quite a bit of artistry involved in creating something that appears so effortlessly natural,” says Hanna. Nuñez explains that hyper-realistic nails typically use extensions, such as gel-x, acrylic and builder gel, to add length, while a custom mix of translucent polishes creates the natural color. “In the past, this was a technique used to fix damaged nails, but now people intentionally create a whole set of hyper-realistic nails to have a set of faux natural nails,” she adds.
How to do hyper-realistic nails
“Hyper-realistic nails require meticulous attention to detail in terms of color and shape to achieve a look that’s virtually indistinguishable from actual, natural nails,” says Hanna. She continues by saying that the look is typically done with extensions of some sort and includes color matching to your natural nails. “Some artists even hand paint different colors in various spots to get that hyper-realistic look where the tips of your nails may have some color variation in some places,” she adds.
“Color theory is going to play a key role in the execution of this trend,” says Nuñez. To get as natural a look as possible, she notes that you need to create a mix of colors to match the free edge of the nail, which can range from sheer ivory and off-white to more of a creamy, washed beige. “This part is usually done with gel or colored acrylic powders so that the pigments match the extension system, but if you are looking for a nail polish alternative, you can use a blend of neutral colors,” she says.
To finish off the look, Hanna suggests opting for a glossy topcoat for a “your nails but better” look or a matte finish for a true hyper-realistic look.
